Reshaping HR’s talent approach with conversational AI

In an era of rapid technological strides, the landscape of HR is experiencing a profound metamorphosis. Conversational AI is emerging as a game-changer, reshaping how organisations approach talent acquisition and management. In an interview with HRM Asia, Josh Secrest, Vice-President of Advocacy, Paradox, shed light on the impact of AI on HR processes and provides insights into fostering a human-centric ethos while harnessing the power of technology.

Secrest underscored AI’s true value in liberating HR teams’ time, enabling them to engage meaningfully with candidates. Through automating administrative tasks like interview scheduling and onboarding, AI-driven solutions empower recruiters and hiring managers to focus on pivotal interactions that truly matter.

By leveraging mobile and chat-based experiences, the initial application process becomes more seamless and candidate-friendly. He pointed out that this approach has resulted in a 23-fold increase in candidate conversion rates achieved through this approach in recent years. By eliminating cumbersome steps like logins, passwords, or app downloads, drop-off rates decrease significantly, resulting in an improved candidate experience.

Moreover, candidates now have instant access to screening and scheduling functionalities 24/7, eradicating the frustrations of waiting and uncertainty. “This means candidates know exactly where they stand in the process and can easily find times to interview that are convenient to them,” he added.

Secrest illustrated the immense time-saving potential of AI, explaining, “In a retail or restaurant environment, like McDonald’s, we have seen managers tasked with hiring get five hours back per week through automation; while in other organisations, we can see up to 10 hours saved for recruiters in professional skilled hiring that automate parts of the hiring process.” This recaptured time can then be channelled into conducting interviews, extending job offers, and nurturing career growth discussions with existing team members.

READ MORE: Why every great hire starts with a focus on the candidate experience

Paradox’s approach to conversational AI has proven transformative, even for industry giants like General Motors, as Secrest shared, “Take our client, General Motors, who automated interview scheduling with Paradox and saved US$2 million in the first year while also giving back hours to recruiters every week that went directly back into improving their hiring process for candidates.” Nestlé, another Paradox client, harnessed conversational AI across 47 countries in 17 languages, optimising productivity and enhancing the candidate experience.

Secrest concluded by urging organisations to embrace the evolving HR technology landscape, and said, “The HR tech of today is wildly different than even five years ago, so get out into the market to explore what technology could best support your teams and drive the highest return-on-investment for your organisations.”